


i'm coming home

by mayora



Category: GOT7
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2020-10-21 00:50:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20684768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayora/pseuds/mayora
Summary: When Mark was in high school, he developed a crush on Jinyoung, who always played the lead in their school plays. Unfortunately, he never gathered the courage to act on his feelings for the younger. Ten years later, at a school reunion, he meets Jinyoung again.





	i'm coming home

**Author's Note:**

> Whoever the prompter is, hope you enjoy. It went a little off the edges but hopefully you still get some enjoyment out of it!

Jinyoung shines the most on stage, Mark thinks. Even the spotlight can't beat out his radiant beauty, his smile and genuine joy from being on stage and singing his heart out. 

The song is over before he knows it, and Jinyoung fades into the background; the lights black out for the next scene. 

* 

“Hey buddy. How was your weekend? Do anything fun?”

“You know what he did. He dropped your plans together to go do it,” Jaebum says, popping a fry in his mouth. 

“Thanks man, totally wanted to hear that again.” Jackson replies.

Jaebum shrugs. “You asked.”

“I asked Mark, not you.” Jackson huffs. “But fine, I’ll be more specific. How was the play?” Jackson grins. Even Jaebum perks up, scooting closer to Mark. 

Mark looks down at his plate and smiles. “It was good.” He clears his throat. “He was good. He's always good.”

“You should just go and introduce yourself one day after his play. I’m telling you, it’ll work.”

“And if Jackson's dumb idea doesn't work, Youngjae would be more than happy to introduce you guys. They _ are _ in the theater club together.”

Jackson pouts, but Jaebum just throws an arm around him and laughs. 

“That seems too forward…I’m fine being just a spectator, really.”

Mark goes to every single one of Jinyoung's plays after that first one. He doesn't know if Jinyoung notices or even knows he exists, but for now, it's okay. Mark really does enjoy watching him perform. The next play has Jinyoung crying over the loss of his older brother, and Mark wipes at his eyes when Jinyoung bursts into tears during his scene. 

“That one was really good actually,” Jaebum says as they leave the auditorium. “He has a way of sweeping you into his world. Of course I think Youngjae's soft piano playing in the background was the real killing part but to each their own.”

Mark rolls his eyes. “How are you gonna tell me to make a move on Park Jinyoung when we're complete strangers when you can't even tell these kinds of things to Youngjae himself? You guys are actually friends.”

“Listen, it's easier for me to get involved in other people's lives than it is to closely inspect my own, okay.”

Mark laughs at him, and they swing an arm around each other as they head to Jaebum's car. 

*

The year passes by, graduation is upon them, and Mark never brought it upon himself to even say hi. 

_ Goodbye, Park Jinyoung. For the short time I saw you, you were so beautiful. I hope nothing but good things happen for you. _

*

“Mark! Yo Mark, over here!” Mark squints in the direction where he heard his name and spots one Im Jaebum standing close to the wall. As Mark walks closer, he sees Youngjae at Jaebum's side and waves. There's another person with him, back turned to Mark. Mark moves in to say hello as he gets closer but the wind gets knocked out of him when the stranger turns around and smiles. 

“Hi, I’m Park Jinyoung,” he says. 

Even after literal years, Mark recognizes that voice. 

Jinyoung's voice is deeper now, his face aged like fine wine, but still so beautiful. 

“Mark Tuan. Nice to meet you.” Mark sticks his hand out and Jinyoung grasps it firmly. Mark lets out a soft gasp. Ten years later and Mark is still a spaceship orbiting Park Jinyoung. 

Not once in those ten years did they cross paths. Mark heard Jinyoung went to a university on the other side of the country renowned for its acting program. Mark went to a university nearby to get his degree, moving in and out with exacting precision and speed. He ended up working as the business side of Jaebum's start up record label, and while they're not Mr. Worldwide-level, they're comfortable enough that Mark is probably set for life.

Jaebum tells this to the captive audience of both Youngjae and Jinyoung, who both laugh boisterously in return. 

“Oh, so if I somehow get kicked out of my theater troupe, Mark can provide for me, right Mark?” Jinyoung winks at him. 

_ What the fuck, _Mark thinks. “What?” comes out instead. 

Youngjae laughs even louder at this. “We saw you,” he says. “Every time Jinyoung was the lead actor for a play in high school, you were there.”

Mark tenses up. _ “What?” _Mark says again, slightly higher pitched. 

Jinyoung nods at Youngjae, who nods back and drags Jaebum away. Jaebum furrows his eyebrows. 

“Wait, let me actually say hi to Mark—”

“Later,” Youngjae hisses. “You see him like every day anyway. This is _ important!” _Youngjae jerks his head toward Jinyoung and Mark. 

“Oh,” Jaebum says, seeing Jinyoung’s body completely angled toward Mark. Jinyoung’s eyes are soft and glittering and his smile just as soft and fond. “_ Oh_. Oh my God, I knew Mark should’ve just said something! For how long?”

“A long time. But I don’t think either of them will have to wait that long again.”

“You saw me?” Mark asks. 

Jinyoung nods. “I’m not sure when it started but after I saw you the first couple of times, I started looking for you every time.” he answers. 

Mark can barely hear past the blood rushing through his ears.

“I wonder when I stopped seeing the audience and started seeing you instead,” Jinyoung says in a low voice. 

“How come you never said anything?” Mark asks, just as quiet. 

Jinyoung smiles. “The same reason you never did, I guess. I was afraid. Actually, I still am, even now. But I think ten years is a little long for us to be deliberating on this, don't you think?”

“Is this really happening right now?” Mark pinches his arm. “Am I real?”

“You probably don't know,” Jinyoung says softly, “but you were more real to me than anything else. Seeing you there made it feel like ‘wow, I have at least this one person cheering me on and who thinks I’m worth seeing every time.’ It made me want to try harder and be better. Wasn't it like that for you?”

Mark shuffles his feet. “I'm not sure what to say. I just…always wanted to see you. You were so bright and beautiful on stage. I couldn’t get enough.”

“Do you still feel that way about me now? Me, who's just standing in front of you like this?”

Mark looks Jinyoung up and down, stopping at his bright open face and friendly smile. 

“I think the you standing in front of me right now like this is even more beautiful.” Mark claps his hands over his mouth. “Wait, I—”

Jinyoung laughs, loud and clear. “It was worth waiting ten years for that,” he says. 

Mark tilts his head. “Jinyoung, not that this isn't flattering or exactly what I wanted to hear, but it feels so…out of the blue. We never even talked once…”

“That's true,” he says. “But that didn't stop you from going to see me before, did it?”

Mark laughs, sudden and unbidden. “No…I guess it didn't.”

“I know this seems really fast but we've already gone a long time without seeing each other. I don’t want to put it off any longer... you're not seeing anyone right now, are you?”

Mark shakes his head. “I’m not. You're not seeing anyone, are you?”

Jinyoung smiles and shakes his head. “I’m not.”

Mark can't help the laughter bubbling out of him. He’s shaking with a different kind of nervous energy. “Would you do me the honor of sitting with me, Park Jinyoung?”

Jinyoung tilts his head and taps his chin. “Funny, I can't think of any reason to say no.”

They walk over to where Jaebum and Youngjae are already seated and eating; Youngjae spots them coming and lights up. 

“Jinyoung-hyung! Mark! Sitting with us?”

“Was there somewhere else we were supposed to sit?” Jinyoung asks. 

“No no, not at all. Just making sure.” Youngjae flashes them another smile and turns back to his food.

Jaebum quirks an eyebrow at Mark. Mark quirks an eyebrow back but smiles, and Jaebum nods in understanding before tearing into his food again. 

“Maybe we should get food first?” Jinyoung suggests. 

“Yeah. Let's go.” They head for the buffet, each picking up a plate. 

“This is a good way to find out your likes and dislikes, actually. How convenient.” 

Mark watches as Jinyoung piles sashimi onto his plate. “Yeah, you're a big fan of sashimi, I see.”

“I’m a fancy boy,” Jinyoung grins. “Only the finest raw sliced fish for me.”

Mark giggles as he ladles soup into his bowl. 

“And it seems you're a fan of soup…I should ask my mom for some recipes soon.”

They make it back to the table, flashing smiles at Youngjae and Jaebum who smile back and wave them off. 

“God, to think it was really this easy and it took us this long…it feels like so much time wasted.” Mark says. 

“It does, but in a way, it feels like this was exactly how it was supposed to be. Maybe we weren't ready for each other then but now…”

“But now…it feels a little…just right.”

They exchange numbers by the end of the night. 

_ Hey, I had a good time with you tonight. :-) _

Mark grins at his phone as he slips off his shoes. 

_ Me too, _Mark begins to type but another message pops up. 

_ Wanna get dinner on Monday? _

“Yo!” Yugyeom says, walking into the living room. “How was the reunion, Mark-hyung?”

Mark glances at the unread message on his phone. “Unbelievably good.”

*

“Bambam, please. Just tell me. Which watch? Silver with gold accents or the leather one?”

“Hmm,” comes Bambam’s voice through the tinny Face call. “That depends on your date. What kind of guy is he?”

“Well—”

“Wait, don't tell me.” Bambam’s grin turns sharp. “Is he possibly…Mark Tuan?”

“Who told you?” 

“Yugyeom texted me!” Bambam cackles. “If it makes you feel any better, apparently Mark is pacing up a storm at their apartment.”

Jinyoung looks down to hide his smile. 

“Hyung, I told you you should’ve gone for it back in high school! It was so obvious Mark went only to see you...he was never there when Junho was the lead!”

“All right, all right, I got it.” Jinyoung holds up a baby blue dress shirt over his body, alternates between that and a crisp white shirt. 

“The baby blue one,” Bambam says. “Oh, and leather watch.”

“Finally. Thank you.” 

“Anyway, I think the date will go great tonight.”

“That’s surprisingly nice of you.”

“If anyone knows about taking too long to finally make a move, I think Yugyeom and I are pretty up there.”

“I don’t know how I feel taking romantic advice from a bunch of teenagers.” 

Bambam whines. “We’re not teenagers anymore! Besides, we got together way before you and Mark! You two aren’t even official yet.” Bambam sticks out his tongue for good measure. 

“Soon,” Jinyoung smiles. He thanks Bambam, ends the call, _Good luck, hyung!! Come home with a boyfriend!!_, and dabs some cologne on his neck and wrists. Giving himself one last look over in the mirror, Jinyoung texts Mark he’s on the way and shuts the door behind him.

“Jinyoung just texted...time for me to leave now, too.” 

Yugyeom gives him two thumbs up. “You got this, hyung. Have fun! Warn me if you’re gonna come back with some, ahem, company.” Yugyeom waggles his eyebrows. 

Mark shoves his face away. “Go video call Bambam or whatever, you overgrown dog. I’ll see you later.” Mark straightens his pink dress shirt, and with one last glance, leaves the apartment. 

*

“I like your shirt,” Jinyoung says. “You look cute in pink.” 

Mark smiles wide. “I like your shirt too. Baby blue is a good look on you.” 

They check in under Jinyoung’s name and the waiter leads them to their table. 

“Wow, trying to wine and dine me?” Mark asks, taking in the restaurant’s dim lighting and lush decorations.

“I wanted to surprise you a bit. Is it working?” 

“A little,” Mark admits. “But I think even if we were meeting for pizza in some greasy parlor, I’d be happy.” 

“That’s good.” Jinyoung smiles. After a beat, their waiter comes to take their orders and they agree to split a bottle of red and some steak and chicken.

“I feel like I might be jinxing it by asking but I need to know…”. 

Mark hums and looks Jinyoung in the eyes, giving him permission to go on. 

“Did you ever think about me during those ten years? Or about us?” 

Mark is silent for a long stretch. “You want to know the truth?” 

“I do.” 

“I thought about you.” Mark admits. “Not every day or even every month but sometimes. I’d see something that’d remind me of you and wonder if you were doing good.” After a while, he adds “I did date other people but none of them lasted, as you can see.”

“I see...it was like that for me too. I thought about you sometimes. Dated other people. Didn’t end up with any of them. Were we both unconsciously hoping it was going to turn out like this in the end?” Jinyoung laughs. 

“I don’t know...but that’s in the past now. I want to focus on right now.” 

Their dishes come out and they offer the other a bite. 

Mark bumps his foot against Jinyoung’s as he moves closer and the way Jinyoung jolts and nearly drops his fork makes him laugh.

“Is this what it's gonna be like dating you?” Jinyoung pouts. “Tortured and teased?”

Mark rolls his eyes. “Okay, Mr. High-Profile theater actor, maybe it will be. Gotta knock you down a few pegs.”

“Refresh my memory again? Who's part of the growing-in-fame record label?””

They giggle into their wine glasses. 

“This is nice,” Mark says. “I’m glad we could catch up like this.” 

“Only catch up?” Jinyoung asks. Mark doesn’t miss the glint in his eye. 

“Amongst other things,” Mark smiles slyly. 

“Good.” Mark jolts when Jinyoung rests his foot on top of Mark’s. 

When they finally decide to end the night, they loiter next to the subway station, not wanting to part just yet. 

“I can see you again, right?” Mark rubs his palm on his pants leg. 

Jinyoung licks his lips. “Yeah. I want to see you again. When are you free?” 

“Friday? My treat since you paid for tonight.” 

“Friday’s so far away…” 

“It is. But you have my number.” Mark shakes his phone in his hand. “You can hit me up whenever. I’ll reply.” 

Jinyoung smiles. “Okay. You too. You can text me whenever.” 

Mark steps closer; Jinyoung sucks in a deep breath but doesn’t move; just ignores his pounding heart and looks down into Mark’s face that's a breath away from his.

Mark looks into Jinyoung’s eyes and leans closer and closer, lingering near Jinyoung's mouth. Jinyoung leans in too, unable to stop. 

“Text me when you get home,” Mark whispers into his ear and presses a quick kiss to Jinyoung’s cheek.

Jinyoung stares at him and drinks in Mark’s indulgent smile. Mark moves to finally leave but Jinyoung grabs his hand and pulls him against his chest.

All the air in between is sucked out, sucked in; their skin crackles at every point they’re pressed up. 

“Jinyoung…?” 

Jinyoung blinks. 

“Text me when you get home too, Mark.” He kisses Mark on the other cheek. “I’m looking forward to Friday,” he grins and finally lets their hands go.

Mark smiles an ice-cream melting smile at him, and Jinyoung smiles the whole subway ride home. 

*

Mark still has a dopey smile on when he enters his and Yugyeom’s apartment. 

“The date went well, I’m guessing?” 

Mark nods. “We’re seeing each other again Friday.” 

Yugyeom bounces over to Mark, grabs his hands, and bounces them in a circle together. 

“Yay! Mark-hyung won’t die alone!” Mark breaks free from Yugyeom to wrestle him, but a _ ding! _ from his phone cuts them short.

Mark chokes and drops his phone on the couch. 

“Ooh, I wanna see!” Yugyeom picks it up and yells at the selfie of Jinyoung in glasses with the caption _ Home. :-) _

“What are you doing?” He asks when Mark disappears into his room.

He comes back out with a pair of glasses and pushes them up his nose. “About to give Jinyoung a heart attack. Two can play that game.” 

Yugyeom barks out a laugh and tosses Mark his phone. 

“Knock ‘em dead, hyung!” Mark gives Yugyeom a thumbs up and snaps away.

It feels a lot like coming home.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Please leave comments or kudos if you'd like. And thank you to the mods for all they've done with this fest. :)


End file.
